19th Annual Winter Adapted Games – Another Great Year!

This January, Queen’s University hosted its 19th annual Winter Adapted Games (WAG). WAG is a fun-filled day for children and youth with disabilities from the Kingston community. Both the schools of Kinesiology and Health Studies and Rehabilitation take part in organizing this event. WAG provides an opportunity for children and youth who have a disability to be involved in an exciting day of non-competitive games and activities at Queen’s. WAG emphasizes the importance of social interaction and physical activity in an environment that promotes success in children’s abilities to participate.

This year, 60 children from the Kingston community swung through the jungles of the PEC at WAG with the help of 104 student volunteers from the Schools of Phys-Ed/Kin and Rehab. The day was full of jungle themed games, movies, a scavenger hunt, swimming, a sleigh ride, tobogganing, and of course pizza!

WAG is a non-profit initiative; participants attend at no cost. This year’s event was run through the generosity of the Rehab Therapy Society, PHEKSA, community businesses and fundraising activities.

Want to be a part of the 20th annual Winter Adapted Games in January 2010? Get involved as a member of the planning committee by submitting applications in the early fall. In order for WAG to run so smoothly every year, many students are needed to be buddies, team leaders, and event facilitators. As a buddy, you will be paired up with a participant with whom you get to spend the entire day as you participate in all the activities that WAG has to offer. As a team leader, you will be in charge of a small group of buddy-participant pairs and you will lead the group to the different activities over the course of the day. As an event facilitator, you will be responsible for running one of the activity stations. It will be your job to explain the particular activity and get everyone involved as each new group arrives at your station. Watch for information about how to get involved in next year’s games coming in the fall of 2010!


Jeanette McNalty – MSc (OT) Candidate (2009), Vice President Internal, Rehab Society (2009/09)